Samsung is back again with the latest in the Galaxy Tab series exclusively for Verizon. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 joins the rather large tablet family from Samsung with the Tab 7, 7.0 Plus, 8.9, & the 10.1. With every new Tab, Samsung made sure to add new features to make each one more worthwhile than the other. This was the Galaxy Tab many have been waiting for due to the specs it is equipped with. The question is was this Tab worth the wait or not?
The Tab 7.7 has a few notable new treats for users like a Super AMOLED Plus display with a higher resolution than the previous models. Throw in LTE connectivity, 1.4GHz Exynos dual-core chipset, and an aluminum back for newer Galaxy Tab experience. Like any other Galaxy Tab, there are plenty of positives that come attached with the brand but it isn’t perfect either.
That new Super AMOLED Plus display we were talking about is pretty amazing. Samsung finally brought the technology behind their great smartphone displays to a tablet. They also raised the resolution from 1024 x 600 to 1280 x 800 in visual pixels.
The combination of LTE and Android battery life is usually a terrible one but the Tab 7.7 smashes the stigma as it performs well in both categories. We got 4G speeds of up to 15Mbps download and 9Mbps on the upload side of things. The huge 5100 mAh battery doesn’t suffer from the LTE speeds as it provides up to two & half days on a single charge of moderate use, one day & half of heavier usage.
Samsung made sure to use a combination of brushed aluminum & high quality plastic for an overall better build and feel of this Tab. Speaking of the casing, it is armed with a microSD card for up to 32GB of memory expansion as well as an infrared blaster last seen on the 7.0 Plus that turns your Tab into an universal remote with the Peel app.
Android 3.2 Honeycomb is pretty much a failed experiment as they have yet to get a stable version of it that performs as it is supposed to. The typical lag and hiccups are still present even in the simplest of tasks. Its time for Android to take the Honeycomb OS out back and put it to sleep.
The optics used is the same dual cameras setup of a 2MP lens in front and a 3.2MP rear-shooter. At this point, Samsung should have upped the cameras to at least a 5MP shooter. No reason to step up the rest of your hardware and leave that section mediocre.
Pricing is part of the selling point when consumers think about purchasing a new electronic. Not sure why Verizon slapped a $499.99 price tag on this Galaxy Tab with a two-year contract or $699.99 no strings attached. Especially when you can pick up a new Wi-Fi iPad for the same price or a 4G version for $629 w/ a month-to-month contract that will be cheaper in the long run. Like we said before, Android tablets need better pricing.
“I think when this Tab gets Android 4.0, the performance on it will improve drastically and will be more worthwhile.”
With all of the good and the bad, this still replaced the Galaxy Tab 8.9 as our favorite in the Samsung tablet lineup. I think other than the iPad, the 7inch tablet is a sweet spot for consumers. It is just right size for everyday viewing and handling. The Tab 7.7 still falls into the sweet spot as it still around the same size as a PlayBook or Kindle Fire. I think when this Tab gets Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), the performance on it will improve drastically and will be more worthwhile. But the pricing of the Tab and monthly data charges will ultimately be the turn off for most as you can get more for your buck elsewhere.
At the current moment of tablets to buy, I would have to say not to buy. Although it is a good overall Android tablet that performs better than most of its Galaxy Tab brethren, there are better options in the market out there for you. This is just simply too overpriced. You have the ASUS Transformer Prime which already has Android 4.0 on it or the new Apple iPad which provides a more stable experience for less $$$ overall.
